What's different this time? Includes
mutterings about the second injury of 2003 caused by working with idiots (not
all of the co-workers, but certainly a large number could be called totally incompetent, if
nothing else).
return to The Knocker
orback
to Timeline
Sissinghurst (click image to enlarge); the Tower
shown from the garden. The oddly married couple, Harold Nicolson and Vita
Sackville-West lived, wrote and otherwise made their lives in this idyllic part
of England. Now to return to reality:

1st Claim: 23076036-Q re accident, May 9th.,
2003, plus 2nd Claim, for problems late August, early September.,
2003: Now on to UI, EI, Benefits of some kind, for mental and physical
disabilities.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first injury of this year, and in fact the
first work injury I have ever had, occurred after continual moving of odd shaped
office furniture. This furniture, pieces off workstations, comes in various
sizes and shapes. One in particular, because of difficulty in carrying it
easily, produced pains in my back. Then, a day or so later, I was picking up a
large, wide piece in a truck I was helping to offload as I waited for help to do
my proper job. The sudden pain that came was enough to make me think that I had
split in half.

Eventually, after Doucet's had forgotten to send
off my forms to WSIB for two weeks, I began to receive physiotherapy. This
lasted for eight weeks, and I was almost cured. I did not feel I was back to my
original form, but it seemed I was good enough.

Then, a few weeks later, on 30th August, the
problems with my right leg, that had developed since my supposed recovery over a
short period, came to a head, during a move
scheduled for four or so hours that lasted fourteen and three quarters. Now, my
second injury has resulted in the fact that I cannot sit in a chair. Not for long, at any rate, and I can only remove myself from bed in the
morning with extreme care. This scenario has also been noted on my
Time Line page for 2003, which is basically about my techie life: which,
as one can tell, is in limbo, at least until there is an increased demand for
our "elders and betters" as useful workers in this sad industry, with companies
fleeing to cheaper lands for their profit.

I find it extremely wearing to stand all day,
and when I awake I find that my muscles are aching in my right thigh, and that
it takes a long time for the effects to wear off every morning. This injury was,
I had thought, a pulled muscle, but my doctor checked me out and informed me
that it was my lower back. It certainly feels different from my first injury,
and there are much more severe pains involved this second time: centred in my
right leg, right hip, and occasionally in my right groin. It is not lessening
with time. So, what is wrong? I won't know until I visit a physio or my doctor
and maybe have x-rays.

But, Doucet's were late again with my forms, (because Judy,
the wife of the owner, is
away on holiday), and I still await notification from WSIB on the status of my claim.
I really need authorization for physiotherapy, and frankly, I also need
help to remove myself from this business. This injury implicitly indicates that I am
incapable of trusting my body to cope with the stresses of the moving business,
at the very least with this company.
Moving pianos and other heavy items in difficult settings and with inexperienced
and otherwise incompetent swampers has produced, if not exacerbated, my injuries. Not that I am
weak, but I am not able to withstand stresses caused by fools not holding on to
an object properly, or able to hold it vertically and balanced: even when asked to do so. Too many
poor quality workers from agencies at the busiest times, when the drivers have
to put up with the temporary extras. No wonder drivers don't last long with Doucet's:
that has been clearly admitted to be a problem by the owners.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

September 29th., 2003: Took the Doctor's
"first" form in to WSIB. Also, went down Bank Street, south of Billings Bridge,
to have X-rays done. Pushing me around on the tray really was painful. Jarring
my right leg when walking along Spark Street on my way home proved that I am not
healing properly. What a whiner!!

October 3rd., 2003: Well, Dr Rambert has
been away for a couple of days, which explains why I have not heard about the
X-rays that were taken last Monday. Neither have I heard from the WSIB: I have
emailed them again today, and will phone them on Monday next, October 6th.

The injury is weird: today, because of an
abnormal sound from a computer, I tried to roll it out of its spot (it's on
castors). This proved
almost impossible because, having to bend down, even whilst on my knees, the
resulting pain was
severe. Walking is proving more, not less, difficult with time, with aches and
pains causing me to limp. Also, when I sit, just by moving into a particular,
and not necessarily identical, position sets
off the alarm. I admit that these surges of pain are not as severe as they were,
but they are bad enough to indicate that something is not healing properly.

On top of that, I am rapidly running out of
money, and I need to pay my regular bills. I do hope something turns up soon:
either a new job &/or payment from the WSIB for this injury.

October 11th., 2003: At least I have
heard from SoftCom.ca, who host
http://mattoid.net
about the impossibility, until I am in receipt of WSIB payments, of paying any
bills. Unsurprisingly, I have not received any replies from NetNation who host
this site and
http://mattoid.ca. They are good at preventing infected emails from reaching
my computer, but aren't very good at responding to my consistent problems. If,
and it would seem that Dr Rambert will open this particular pit, I can be
regarded as likely to have repeated failures of a physical nature because of age
and condition, it may be possible for the WSIB to have me retrained. In copy
editing or proof reading or something similar, I hope. Something not physical in
nature, at any rate.

My doctor was absent, as usual, last Thursday,
and it would seem the account manager at WSIB was absent on Friday. Given that
this is a long weekend, I am unlikely to receive any monies before the end of
next week. How on earth am I expected to survive with no money? Not only that,
but Doucet's had to fax in their report again, on September 23rd. This
never-ending charade is exacerbated because there is no decision yet upon the
choice between having had one repetitive accident, or two. I would think two
accidents, since I was regarded as "healed" after physiotherapy after my first
accident this year. The later problem, from which I have not recovered, is
different in source of pain, and yet purportedly due to my back having become
abnormal. Whatever.

October 14th., 2003: This is the body of
an email I sent off today: it is basically self-explanatory and shows that life
will become a lot harder for me if I can't obtain proper WSIB payments shortly:
IF it was three, because we were chatting about the problems with email and
such, and there was not very much moving of material.

Hi Allan,

I have just heard
from the WSIB that Doucet's are denying that I hurt myself at work and that it
was due to me moving computers! Not true, and all that actually happened was
that I helped you at the Salon with three boxes. Can you remind me of the date
that was done?

Then I can advise
Doucet's of the facts of the matter. As you know, I found it difficult to
help: we laughed about it at the time, as I recall.

Doucet's are
having to advise WSIB of the hours of work I completed and who I was working
with. Given their efficiency rate, I don't expect a rapid determination,
especially if Ma and Pa are just back from holiday.

Also, I phoned my
doctor about the forms I received, and whether it was significant that I
injured myself differently from the first event. Depratto said it doesn't
matter, the claim number is bureaucratic normality.

It means that I
won't be receiving money from the WSIB until all of this is sorted out. It is
now the fifth week of not working. Mark Depratto phoned me today about this
after receiving my phone message of this morning (he is away, but receiving
his phone messages!!). He said it will be some time before I receive anything
even if it is determined that it was a work injury. And that I should approach
welfare: I don't even know if I have worked long enough to receive benefits.

October 15th., 2003: It would seem that
Doucet's Moving & Storage, viz. Jay, think that I hurt myself moving computer
monitors, prior to my going off work on September 10th. How is it that they come
up with such a transparent misstatement, to put it politely? I helped Allan when
I hurt, when I was off work, and not at any other time. It's ridiculous that my
claim might be denied because of this: the injury that I have is something
caused by constant moving of large and heavy items, especially pianos, and also
with workers that were inefficient (either incompetent or suffering from
hangovers, for example). WSIB does not want me to go to Legal Aid, until they
have covered the bases with Doucet's, but I am caught between stones here. No
money remains, and three large bills that I have managed to cover for years loom
overhead. My possessions are at risk: but this is G8 Canada, this should not
happen, should it? Laugh, belly laugh.

Email sent to family and friends on October 15th., 2003:

Hi,

More rubbish,
sorry about that, but I fail to understand the logic of all this, except that
after the Climbié disaster in England, the interested authorities have still
not implemented the safeguards that the inquiry insisted on. Yadda, yadda,
yadda.

I never prompted
Jay or Jim at all, but did find out that Cynthia had gone, as had Gerald, the
oaf who walks like a duck.

I went out to Doucet's after talking to WSIB, my
doctor's assistant and another. When I entered the office at Doucet's there
were Jim and Jay. When they asked me how I was doing I simply said that I was
still waiting for the claim to be allowed and that I had had no physical
treatment so far. There was a look of astonishment on Jay's face, and he
seemed to disbelieve that my claim wouldn't be alive at this time. He did
state that WSIB had asked him to relate the activity performed by me and
others on the nasty job of 30th August. No mention of picking up computer
monitors, or such like.

What, therefore, do I do now? Wait for WSIB,
wait for Doucet's to answer WSIB, or go straight to Legal Aid, or, or, or , ,
, ,?

October 15th., 2003 again: I went out to
Doucet's after talking to WSIB, my doctor's assistant and another. When I
entered the office at Doucet's there were Jim and Jay. When they asked me how I
was doing I simply said that I was still waiting for the claim to be allowed and
that I had had no physical treatment so far. There was a look of astonishment on
Jay's face, and he seemed to disbelieve that my claim wouldn't be alive at this
time. He did state that WSIB had asked him to relate the activity performed by
me and others on the nasty job of 30th August. No mention of picking up computer
monitors, or such like. (Related email at bottom of page).

What, therefore, do I do now? Wait for WSIB,
wait for Doucet's to answer WSIB, or go straight to Legal Aid, or, or, or , , ,
,?

October 15th., 2003 yet again: I went out
to Beechwood on the way back from Doucet's, just because we had been sent
invitations for their new buildings opening gala. What they had not done was
apprise Dad about the scattering of Peggy's ashes. After going through the
paperwork and giving me a photocopy of the action taken, there was a grovelling
apology for their mistake. Nice, actually, for someone to admit fault. So, Peggy
was cast to the air, where she belonged, on April 15th., 2002: I must admit to
feeling rather upset when I heard this, it brought it all back.

October 16th., 2003: Really bad night,
thinking thoughts, and not sleeping. I came to realise that the problem
basically lies in me having a work ethic. I worked when I thought that I was
injured but slightly, and it subsequently developed into a disaster. This during
a time when Doucet's were in a busy time, and having major problems with jobs
and staffing.

October 24th., 2003: Another week, or
more, gone by with no decision: who knows what Doucet's have provided the WSIB
and where their info lies now. Does not help my mental state, or the fact that
my physical state is also at risk. Is it possible that the broken parts are
healing correctly, or is regrowth generating putative faults to rear up at a
future date? Since no one has told me what is actually wrong with me (STILL
in pain at this date) then the lack of physiotherapy or of actual physical
determination of the damaged parts of my body causes me displeasure. Totally
idiotic situation, but apparently normal for the WSIB system, as I was told on
my initial contact with the Ombudsman. What, what?!

And, when I have calmed down into my usual sense
of ironic, yet comical seeming, ineptitude, I will regale you with the true story of my
visit to the Metcalf Street office of the WSIB, and the obviously constantly
worried visage of the person who leaned over the counter, in a totally defensive
posture and vocal barrage.

October 28th., 2003: The beginning of the
eighth week off work. I remain injured, as leaning forward always reveals, as
does my gimpy walk. If this continues, I will have to consider approaching both
the Ombudsman and my local MP's office. Plus, I will institute legal action if I
discover Doucet's Moving and Storage are deficient in their responsibilities.

After considering advice received from several parties about taking legal
action, given that I have now waited two calendar months for WSIB support, I am
wondering whether the time has come to do so. The Form 6 that I submitted some
weeks ago was signed by me as a correct and truthful description of what had
happened whilst working at Doucet's Moving and Storage. If there is other
paperwork to be considered, I have not received it or been informed about the
circumstances.

No
one has advised me where the matter lies: for example, whether Doucet's have
failed to provide information, or if the WSIB is holding back the paperwork for
some other reason.

The
injury, present in my right lumbar area, seems to have become chronic. It has
not healed, and the approval of my application for physiotherapy, if that could
indeed prove beneficial, has been held back, too.

My
financial position has become parlous, along with my physical status. I cannot
sit for long, I cannot stand for too long, therefore I cannot work at this time.
For someone who has been in excellent health throughout his life, the current
inability to function normally is really wearing. This is the first year I have
not played organised soccer in over five decades. No one normally believes that
I am my chronological age. One other matter that might prove significant is
that I have been treated as a double depressive (dysthymia and chronic cyclical
depression). Luckily, I have a strong sense of humour, and that has helped: but
it cannot be relied upon forever.

Would you please remove the case paperwork from Mr Depratto and give it to
someone at a higher level who can handle my concerns properly and speedily.
Otherwise, I will collate all of the papers and emails I have retained and take
them to a labour lawyer of my acquaintance. I will, if my suspicions that
false statements made by Doucet's have been the cause of delay, include that
company in any action, and that might very well include the charge of defamation
of character.

I
hope that my concerns have been outlined adequately, and I await a speedy
response.

November 7th., 2003: The lack of money
may be stopped next Wednesday. A week ago, another Friday morning, I emailed Pierre
Gandy, head honcho of the Ottawa area. My email was copied to several friends.
Within an hour, a lot less actually, I had a phone call from a manager, Mr
Kember, whose first name I have, unfortunately, forgotten. We went through my
case, which he had, probably on computer, in front of him. It was agreed that I
had a case, that I would be helped with my physical injuries, and I would
receive moneys owed, based on past work history at Doucet's. This rate of pay
would be higher than for the first injury, because my hourly rate was now
higher, after the comparative driver fiasco, and the time was busier, too. See
the bottom of the page for a copy of my email.

However, I spent a week waiting for a letter, or
a phone call. Nothing, so I phoned to Mr Kember this morning, and I received a
phone call from Marc Depratto within thirty minutes. I was told that he had just
come off the phone with Doucet's Moving and Storage regarding my times at work,
and that I would be receiving the larger of the two estimates (first and second
WSIB claims of this year). Also, he asked me about physiotherapy and I reminded
him that I had not started that because it was not yet authorised. So, I start
that on Monday: with any luck I will determine what actually happened to me.

So, I await a phone call about the cheque that
should be couriered up from Toronto and be at the WSIB centre early on Wednesday
next. Then, I can pay off some bills, buy some soap, and treat myself to one or
two books. And, search for work, since physiotherapy should enable me to work at
a desk, which is infinitely preferable to the work I endured at Doucet's, nicht
wahr?

If necessary in the future, I will post all the
relevant emails. It would show up the facts regarding tardiness and inefficient
records or filing of paperwork about my case.

November 8th., 2003: The phone rang this
morning just as I was watching the second half of a poor game of soccer between
Arsenal and Spurs. This call concerned an Ipsos-Reid request to ask me to fill
in a survey about the WSIB. Obviously, it was a call from a cubicle far, far
away, because the person asking me the questions quite transparently did not
understand English well enough to answer my responses. Another job lost to
India, or somewhere, perhaps Burma won't be far behind?

November 10th., 2003: Good grief!!
Stretch, bend, push, pull, relax, and don't yelp, please! Did I ever feel the
effects of my latest visit to the physio, 1582 Bank Street, at Heron, near to
Canadian Tire. WSIB has mentioned a four week regimen, but Duane wonders if it
shouldn't be six weeks. That means I will be on the dole at Christmas, unless I
can detect an employment opportunity once I feel able to stomach desk work.
Physical work, because of damage to my system, especially now that it seems both
sides of my body have sciatica systems. Apparently, my massive pain attacks were
likely to be pinched nerves, muscles and whatever following my heavy lifting
around the end of August.

November 11th., 2003: On the eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. On this day, Remembrance Day,
the Korean War was especially noted, it being the fiftieth anniversary of its
end. So, I shouldn't mention personal matters, hein? Except that my second
physiotherapy meeting will be more difficult. The effects of yesterday's attack
causes me to find walking uphill more difficult than ever. Whatever, whatever.

November 15th., 2003: Oh dear! The All
Blacks lost to the golden horde in the first semi-final of the Rugby World Cup.
That means Australia meet either the Poms or the Frogs next week. All depends on
what happens tomorrow. Me, I am improving, if slowly. Fourth physio of the week
yesterday, and doing what Duane asks is a real pain. But, flexibility is growing
again. Maybe I will be able to touch my toes this year.

December 2nd., 2003: Last night I
received a call from my daughter in Montréal, Katharine. Surprise: so nice to
hear her voice and we had a nice chat. She asked me how I was and if I was
feeling better. Good grief! Well now, it is a fact that the visits to the
physiotherapy are starting to work, but it is a long haul. I can sit down and
stand up in equal amounts now, but walking on the icy sidewalks yesterday and
today exacerbated the pains in my hips or sacroiliac or whatever it is that's
screwed. Odd things affect me and odd things don't. It's a crap shoot. So, I do
hope that Dr J's prognosis of complete cure is feasible in 2004. Wir wollen
sehen, nicht wahr? The other thing is that my mental state is frail at present,
but, the following Rowson cartoon from the Guardian indicates that others suffer
too, even if unjustly! This is Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister. Wasn't
there a TV show about him? Not actually, but there was one hilarious series
called "Yes, Prime Minister" which can still be bought at the BBC shop.

December 10th., 2003: Wow, I actually
felt better today after visiting the physiotherapist. A huge tug on my right leg
apparently freed up the seized joint, which was affected by muscles in tension
which weren't releasing properly. I have also emailed the WSIB (pasted below, as
are others), to see how much
longer I can expect to receive benefits: both physiotherapeutic and monetary.
Christmas comes: Dad flies off to Auckland a week today, and three days before
that we will both see my estranged wife, her sister Reneé, and my daughter
Katharine. The latter, not even nine years old, has had her hair straightened,
which to me is an insult both aesthetically and intellectually. Work out why I
feel that way, and you will feel better, too.

Email of December 10th., 2003:

Dear Pierre
Gandy,

Firstly, I would
be grateful if you could please pass this message on to Mr Kember and to Marc
Duparrot.

At my
physiotherapy session today, Wednesday, I at last had an improvement to my
leg/hip area after a huge tug by Duane, with another guy pressing down on my
hips to prevent me moving (or to stop me hitting him!) This was the first time
that I have received a noticeable improvement over the latest set of
physiotherapy. The unlocking of my sacroiliac joint was obvious, but Duane
advised me it could regress if not cared for and that more exercise/physio is
required.

What also
transpired at this session was a conversation about my status with Duane
Brousmiche (613) 521-0233, where I was told that he and M Duparrot had
been involved in telephone tag. Now, given my doctor's notes, which have been
passed on to the WSIB, and also my actual condition, I believe that I have not
yet improved in health to a safe level. Also, given the recent problems with
obtaining coverage by the WSIB, that I am sure you can recall, I felt it was
proper to email you so that nothing falls between the cracks.

I do not know
whether the four week period that was originally quoted for physio, plus
related WSIB payments, has been increased by cause. I still do not have the
capacity to sit and walk properly, and progress has been slow, as my doctor
has attested.

Could you please
arrange for my situation to be reviewed, or, if a decision has been made,
could I please be advised. Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Paul Dickins

December 11th., 2003: My email has been
forwarded, so I shall see what happens, maybe, when I visit the Physio tomorrow
afternoon. When I left home today, and stepped onto the road adjacent to our
tower block, my right hip area seized solid, and I was stuck until it decided to
let go. Good job there was no traffic at the time, hein? Felt better after
walking for a while, and doing my exercises.

December 17th., 2003: Complete silence
from WSIB personnel, other than being advised that it had been forwarded. It is
a week since I asked for their advice. People have been telling me that this is
normal behaviour and one can expect them to depend upon the fact that their silence will be rewarded
by a corresponding lack of response from the afflicted. Not here, I think. Ombudsman &/or
lawyer to be contacted: this weather, with the slippery snow and ice, and my
lack of a car, inevitably has resulted in aches and pains relating to my hip
area. What do they think is fair? No approval for physiotherapy, so heal imperfectly, or
not at all. Bollocks to this nonsense. Am I expected to heal as if miracles were
common? This is not the Mid-West of the USA.

In Ottawa, it is rain and snow, producing
extremely unsafe walking conditions. It took me four times as long to walk home
today, compared to normal snowfall. (In Ottawa, it is generally fine and dry
snow that is usually easily traversed). And, of course, I ache and have twinges
where my sacroiliac area has not properly healed. Tra la la! Oh, for the
swallows of summer!

January 12th., 2004: The on and off is on again. This is the second week that I have been able to
return to physiotherapy. And, it's on and off with my fitness. Today, after some
work by Duane, I was in real pain, and the exercises I was expecting were not
employed. I could touch my toes, but not as well after this bout. So, not
knowing how long this will last, although Duane had spoken with a woman from
WSIB last week. She told him to continue with physio, after the lapse of
coverage, the cause of which my not knowing if I were covered or not. So, it
carries on. Dad is in Auckland, NZ, and has recently been hospitalised with
pneumonia. He's out again, and better, as far as I know. I'm glad he was ill
there, in the Antipodean summer, and not here, where we have had an extremely
nasty cold spell.

February 2nd., 2004: The last
physiotherapy session: exercises, manipulation and an assessment of my status.
Duane, the operator of torture upon my limbs, told me two things today that are
significant. Firstly, he mentioned that upon the end of my first series of
appointments, to do with the first injury of 2003, he had noted to the WSIB that
he felt that I should not return to work at Doucet's, and certainly not in any
capacity that included physical work. He has told me he will advise the WSIB
that the same condition applies now my last appointment for my second injury has
concluded. The second significant fact was the admission that he had had a similar
injury, and that this had taken two years to heal. Now, I have had a history of
being in much better than average health, having played (and refereed for a
period) soccer for well over five decades. Nowadays, I could not argue that I
was anywhere near what I have been. I do hope that this changes, but Duane
advised me to take it gently for a considerable time, if I was ever to heal
properly. So there, that's it with physiotherapy, other than the series of
exercises I should maintain at home.

The fact that the WSIB never advised me that they knew that I shouldn't return
to Doucet's is another nail in the coffin of their inefficiency. What now? Last
cheque arrives shortly, so UI, or what? Job? One never knows, does one?

February 4th., 2004: I emailed Doucet's
two days ago to find out what paperwork is needed to continue receiving some
kind of income from somewhere. I don't know how long I shall have to wait for an
adequate response.

Current status is as follows:
1. Injury remains: and see comment from Duane
Brousmiche, Registered Physical Therapist, B.Sc.PT, (613) 521-0233, in
February 2nd comment.
2. Can be regarded as chronic if not likely to heal for
up to two years.
3. Job prospects limited both by age and by
injury. No ability to work in a physical job. Sit down job limited by time: cannot sit
normally for any kind of shift work that would require it. So, what's left?

February 20th., 2004: No response from
Doucet's and it is now almost three weeks since I contacted them. Yesterday, I
went to UI to determine what it took to receive benefits. Luckily, I had been to
Rambert and had the forms filled out, and I had gone through my paperwork to
find all of the relevant facts. It will be some four to six weeks before I can
possibly expect to receive monies. Normal state of terror imposed as on all
applicants: how is one expected to survive? I do think that, like
Jerry Pournelle says, I do this stuff so that you don't have to.

March 2nd., 2004: Well, yesterday, I went
on the Net to fill out the EI forms. Then I went out, to return to a phone
message from somebody in Benefits of Some Kind Canada, to return the phone call
asap because she wanted to discuss my claim. Great idea, except that the phone
number was unobtainable. Today, I phoned an 800 number to speak, after the usual
options, to a human and related my information. So, now I await another call,
and this will no doubt further delay my claim. Not that my father's macular
degeneration, causing him to lose his right to drive, made yesterday a really
happy time.

March 5th., 2004: Drove my father to
Westgate, so he could purchase a transfer form for when he sells his car. Then
went to Carlingwood to buy groceries. As a person who is in receipt of the
effects of ageism, I
laughed at the statement, by someone on a CBC Newsworld television programme, that was subject to racism:
to be
discriminated against is painful, quoth she. Well, it may be more painful for a
visible minority, but that's what I am, n'est-ce pas?

March 29th., 2004: Last Friday, I went to
the EI office in Ottawa, to find that my claim had been denied. I had been on
the Internet trying to fill in my EI status, and was unable to do so. Until I
went down to the offices, I did not understand why this had happened. I had
suspected a technical failing. Anyway, my claim was denied because my WSIB
payments form uninsurable earnings, and pushing the dates where I was receiving
the monies back into the past does not help, because I was unemployed in that
period. The letter denying me was dated March 24th., my birthday!! On my
birthday, I read that Aretha Franklin was ill and that she would be 62 the next
day. So, I am one day older than her, but far less wealthy, although seemingly
in much better health. Win one, lose one.

April 2nd.,
2004: April Fool's joke delayed to
the next day: it seems because I am not able to receive EI, because of WSIB
payments last year, the next step is to receive $50 per month, plus a bus pass,
from Ottawa Partners for Jobs, as welfare is now called.

It seems that my situation was not
considered by the planners: having to live at home when one is 62, where one has
debts and living/maintenance expenses means nothing. Now I am in more of a
parlous situation than ever before. The injury at work last year and the WSIB
allowances do not mesh, especially when one realises that it is likely to be
2005 before my physical problems are ameliorated to a reasonable level. (These
two paragraphs were copied to the info page, too.)

April 20th.,
2004: A phone call today, regarding an email I sent to WSIB. It was an
interesting conversation, although the tired argument that my injury was
exacerbated by my sciatic nerve misalignment was raised once more. The problem
is that my sacro-ileac problem at the top of my right leg was caused by stress
that was nothing to do with anything other than working with fools and having to
physically compensate for them in several ways. Mr X of WSIB at least admitted that Doucet's were not upholding
their ISO standard when asked to report on workers. And, I would like to repeat
here that Madame Doucet was the lady who told me that they couldn't keep their
drivers. Paperwork, driving, loading, unloading, break times, co-workers: why
not send someone home that was drunk at ten in the morning, not having gone to
bed until early that same day whilst paralytic. This is the typical class of
month-end employee.
We also mentioned web design and soccer, both of which he
knows I have experience with. In particular, we discussed the overly complicated
designs of some sites, with excessive use of Flash, etc., that prevents easy use
by modem owners. For soccer, I disagreed with the comment he made about warming
up prior to games. I have never done that, merely kicked a ball about prior to
the start of the game. It was never necessary for me to do stretches and such,
and, in any event, I always found that I could maintain a high rate of output no
matter what. That would apply even now, if I could play.

In 2008, I can walk with ease, mostly, and I can
carry weights. I suffer if I have to move items in certain ways. I can
almost trot, but it causes pain in my right hip area. It is better for
me to walk, which I do over most of Ottawa, but sometimes I need the
bus, and I am fit enough that I do not think of the bus as the first
means of transporting myself about town.

It will become interesting when I clear my storage area
whenever I find a place to live after my father leaves the planet
(euphemism). That I will do without killing myself.